Debt: How One Bad Move Can Wreck Your Financial Life Q: Thanks for your Love, Money + Real Estate financial newsletters. You helped me back in 2008 when the Great Recession hit and I was able to save my townhouse from foreclosure. Fast forward. I moved to Sonoma County, California about 10 years ago. I [...]
How to Protect Yourself from Real Estate Scams Real estate scams can wipe you out financially Real estate scams are really scary. Especially with how quickly artificial intelligence is being adopted and applied. March 7th was National Slam the Scam Day according to the Social Security Administration. While most people understand that there are ever-more [...]
Neighbor Problems: Dangerous Conditions Neighbors are creating problems and dangerous conditions for residents by not turning on lights Q: I have lived in the same 10-unit condo for over 20 years. It consists of several two to four-unit buildings grouped together. The buildings surround a shared parking area. Some units face the parking area while [...]
Estate Planning: Trusts and Transfer on Death (TOD) Understanding when to use a trust versus a transfer on death (TOD) instrument COMMENT: I read your recent article about trusts and beneficiaries of trusts. You mentioned that “If you have a revocable trust, as the beneficiary you have the right to amend the trust and update [...]
How to Transfer a Home Into a Living Trust Will a living trust always help a home owner avoid probate? Q: I am trying to help my dad transfer his home into a living trust. He will maintain the home as his primary residence. We want to put the home into a living trust to [...]
Who should inherit my mom's house? A step-sister is claiming a share of the reader's mom's house after mom quitclaimed the deed to her father Q: My mother and father were married for over 20 years. During their marriage they bought a house. At some point my mother signed a quitclaim deed and made my [...]
Sell without paying capital gains tax? A reader wants to know how they can sell their home without paying capital gains Q: In 2020 my husband and I paid cash for a condo that my college son has lived in while going to school. He is about to graduate and get married. We are now [...]
Should I sell my home in "as is" condition? Q: I recently came across one of your columns on using a company to sell your home on an “as is” basis. You pay no real estate commissions, you get a fast closing and easy terms. Why don’t more people use them? Does the math work [...]
Neighbor Problems: Dirty Fences Q: My next door neighbor put up a white vinyl fence between our homes. Not a problem for me, originally. But the fence is now turning green and black from dirt and mold. I don’t care what his side of the fence looks like, but I do care about my side. [...]
HOA Smoking Rules: What's permitted under state law? A homeowner association board member asked owner to research local and state laws to see what rules could be enforced. Q: Your newspaper article on homeownership association rules around home smoking policies has prompted me to try to get my homeowners association (HOA) to pass “no smoking” [...]
